Washington’s Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad faces loss of critical tourism bridge

In a rough time for the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad, a possible arsonist destroyed a critical tourism bridge from Elbe to Morton, leaving the Lewis County community to organize support for the nonprofit. 

By Elissa Blankenship

In Mineral, Washington, a possible arsonist set fire to the main railroad bridge on Mount Rainier’s Scenic Railroad, engulfing the bridge in flames. It was a day many locals and tourists will never forget as a piece of Washington state history crumbled to the ground. 

Images and videos of the fire and its aftermath continue to circulate on social media platforms. 

The specific cause of the fire is still under investigation, however investigators revealed it was human caused, while the railroad and local community believe someone deliberately set it ablaze. The bridge was constructed in the 1980s and has since carried 1.6 million passengers in train cars, with people seated to enjoy food and a scenic route in the wilderness of Washington. The bridge was rebuilt 20 years ago but is now a total loss for the nonprofit. 

Western Forest Industries Museum estimates the total costs to be between $2 to $10 million to remove and rebuild the remaining pieces of the bridge. 

This adds more weight to the already intense financial burden on tourism areas in Washington state, caused by growing inflation and cuts in federal funding. The loss leaves a gaping hole in a rural community already struggling to keep up with the economy. 

“The entire thing is not yet on the ground, but the majority of it is on the ground,” Washington state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildfire Communications Manager Thomas Kyle-Milward said in an article for The Chronicle. 

In September of 2024, the railroad reported it anticipated a total of 70,000 passengers by the end of the year, showing the popularity of the railroad in the region. 

The railroad was “the key to reopening freight and passenger service to Morton — work we’ve been making real progress on,” Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad stated in the article. “That span carried more than trains. It carried the weight of our financial stability, our plans for local industry, and the future of the communities we serve.” 

After the railroad launched its fundraising campaign on social media and local news networks, 1,600 community members and donors came together to raise a total of $201,301 as of June 5. 

The bridge cleanup is costly and involves bringing in a contractor to navigate narrow logging roads and reestablish access to the base of the bridge. Debris removal is critical as the toxic creosote-treated timbers have fallen in and around a small seasonal stream, impacting the health of the environment. 

“This bridge was never just part of the railroad—it was part of the landscape, of generations of hard work. What took 13 years to build and has stood for over a century, now has to come down, piece by piece, thanks to someone’s ill intent,” the railroad’s official account wrote on Facebook. 

Despite the outpouring of support from the Washington community, state officials and legislative Democrats have yet to make comments on the case or fundraising efforts. The Lewis County Sheriff’s office said it identified a person who may have information on the ongoing investigation, however a suspect has not been named, according to The Chronicle. 

“Because let’s be clear: bridges do not spontaneously combust. Someone did this. Whether through recklessness or malice, someone set in motion the destruction of decades of infrastructure and millions in future regional impact,” Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad stated in its news release on Thursday. 

Representative Andrew Barkis, Republican of District 2, recently visited the railroad site located in District 3 and spoke to the public about what the loss means for the region. The loss threatens local tourism, jobs, education programs and the economic future of Lewis County. 

“It is a huge loss for this important business in the District! I am dedicated to helping them with all available resources to first catch the person who intentionally set this fire and to recover and rebuild,” Barkis wrote on a Facebook post. 

A drone video was captured by a local drone operator and was released to news outlets, showing the extent of the damage to the railroad. Executive Director Bethan Maher of the railroad also posted an informal YouTube video explaining more about the recovery efforts. 

The nonprofit has been working on buying the railroad from Tacoma Rail since 2018. The loss of this bridge only sets the nonprofit further back financially, according to Maher. 

“We’ve been blown away by the outpouring of support from our community, donors, and visitors—you’ve shown up. But elected officials need to do the same. We’re not alone—but we are still waiting on the people in power to act like it matters,” the railroad wrote on Facebook. 

To support the railroad, you can donate and share the GoFundMe campaign on social media, volunteer your time or buy tickets to ride the remaining railroad section. You can also contact your senators and ask state and federal leaders to fund recovery efforts.